Shore files: Gallery Wall Unveiled

Picking up from this post, let's get going on the gallery wall. Out to the hardware store to get a decent level and pick up a boatload of those command picture hanging thingies (you know I have an aversion to putting holes in my walls, right?)

I laid out the photos as I wanted to hang them and then got to work taping them to the mattes and finishing off the picture frames*. After much mental futzing, hemming and hawing, I decided to change the original configuration a bit to make all of the photos vertical. After that there was no more putting it off, on the wall they had to go. I put the first one up...

After the first one was set, everything got spaced out around that one. I called in the hubs for reinforcements when I needed another eye or set of arms but this was mostly a one woman job. And it took forever. Maybe I was just being too particular but I was wrapped up in this for most of the day. I'll spare you the play by play and show you the magic of tv version.

Finally, it was done. I'm totally happy with it - so happy I did it.

It really brings a balance to that side of the room that was totally missing before. Yes, the tv is still a giant black box but it gives the eye somewhere else to rest, makes for conversation and incorporates lots of happy memories of our travels in the room.

You might also notice I swapped out those awful white plastic blinds with some matchsticks in here. They were cheapies from Home Depot and I totally got what I paid for - complete junk - broken, missing hardware, mismatched, crooked. So annoying! But they are better than the plastic for now.

This room still isn't done - I have a few more projects to get to before I feel its there - but I'm feeling so much more pleased with how it looks now. At least its ready for summer!

117 comments:

Wowie! Looks amazing. That room feels so relaxing, perfect for a beach house! One note about those "cheapie" blinds - I've used them before on a porch for keeping blaring sun out of eyes during the sunset, and they are perfect for that application because it doesn't really matter as much if they get beat-up by the elements. Plus, they look pretty cool against the creamy white of porch posts and spindles.

LOVE it!!! I am also looking at your laser level. I share the same aversion to holes in the wall. How is it magically hanging on the wall all by itself? I am usually standing on a chair trying to use my laser level in one hand while I've got a pencil in the other, nail in my teeth & hammer between my knees. Your way looks more manageable. My one and only experience with the command hooks peeled the paper layer of drywall off my walls when I removed them. Now I'm afraid of them.

Thats a great use for them. I wouldn't mind them so much here if the hardware in the box was all the same - now I have child friendly ones on the middle and right but the strangulation cord on the left one. So annoying. I'm thinking I might spray paint them since there isn't any great risk if they don't turn out the way I imagine.

This laser level has a air sucking type thing that keeps it sticking to the wall. Such a huge feature. It also had two axis lines and was self leveling (so no bubble reading and adjusting) It was $50 so not the cheapest model but not bad considering the features. It was a good buy I think.

Ive had good experiences with the command stuff for Christmas decorations so Im hoping I have equally good experiences with these. I better because they are so outrageous expensive for what is essentially 4 inches of plastic velcro.

It looks wonderful! I'm always hunting for new ideas to decorate around a flat screen, so it's nice to see how your project turned out. Above our tv I have three large framed pieces of decorative paper that coordinates with our room, but I'm still not 100% thrilled with the look. It's hard to make the walls interesting without seeming cluttered, and your simple layout does a nice job of that!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this. I'm in the process of putting up similar matchstick blinds in our living room. Fingers crossed that they aren't junk! I love this look and have been trying to think of something to do around our tv. I'm just wondering how this would look with vaulted ceilings. The wall our tv is on is 8 feet tall in the left corner and about 12 in the right. hmmmm

this looks SO good! i can totally understand the procrastination that goes with hanging things on the wall. i mat the pictures, lean them up against the wall...walk past them for weeks...and one day, grab the hammer and level and just do it. and i'm always so glad i did, because "stuff" on the walls always makes the feel of a room change dramatically.

i love how you really filled the space. the scale of each frame is really lovely and all together on the wall is just stunning.

Lucky you! I wish we had 12 foot ceilings in here. I think you could probably do it straight across fine but it might be more fun to really use that height and stagger them (like steps) up the wall. Really brings the eye up.

No clue the manufacterer but they came from Home Depot and the quality is terrible! (The ones in the kitchen also came from HD and Im fine with those). Ive also used that type of blind from JCP and they worked well. So I guess its hit and miss.

I love the magic of TV version!!! The photos look great. I'm also completely jealous of that fancy level, too. I tend to make paper templates when putting a gallery wall together. That fancy level seems like such a time saver. I also have the cheapie HD blinds in our living room. To keep from dealing with the crap hardware we usually just pull the drapes at night and leave the blinds alone. They look nice and I can refrain from ripping them off the windows in frustration because I don't use them. That makes all the difference.

Love the new gallery wall! It really looks terrific and makes the tv fade from focus. Great job! I've been using a lot of those Command strips, too. Love them! I wish I had used them when I put my gallery wall up. I've been wanting to change things up on that wall, but am dreading the patch, sand, paint job that awaits. Thanks for sharing.

I love that room! Very calm, relaxing (can I come over? I haven't had a holiday in YEARS!). And WELL DONE on that photo wall!

I do have a question though - now that the photos have been up long enough for you to watch tv a few times, be honest: do you ever find all of those squares/images surrounding the screen distracting or confusing when you're trying to watch tv? Okay, maybe only a dummy like me would actually get "confused" when most would be "distracted" hahaha... I've been wanting to put some photos under my flat screen (on a console) and worry I'll end up with a migraine....

Like everything you do, it turned out great! (And I have to admit, I had my doubts about this endeavor. I thought it might be too "busy" around a t.v. I will never doubt you again!) I am not-so-secretly happy that you admitted that it took you all day...I had three frames to hang in a row and it took me 4 hours. It would take me an entire weekend to tackle a gallery wall of your magnitude.

we have our tv on a buffet turned media console on a big.blank.wall and man oh man do i LOVE this idea and suddenly want to recreate it myself. i'm playing catch up on my blogs so please forgive me, but are those photos ones you took or are they printed from somewhere? (i.e. a calendar? book? etc.?)

also, what color are your walls? it's like the perfect neutral which is always hard to find.

i love the whole room. everything about it.

about the blinds, ours are from Home Depot and i was so impressed at the quality. but, they weren't cheap cost wise. :/ at least yours look good from what we can see. ;)

Love it! I've seen lots of people referencing those command picture hanger gizmos. Can anyone send me a link so I know exactly what I'm looking for when I go and buy some? I'm trying to do a picture wall myself! Thanks!

Well Im not really an expert - you might want to contact whoever you are buying your frames from for suggestions - but it depends on how you are using it. If its just a single photo, I think you can get away with no matte or a small one - if it were a series, I like a lot of matte so I'd want at least a 20x22 or something like that. But definitely a personal preference kind of thing.

Here is the link. Evidently they have black ones which would have been way better for this project but Home Depot only had white ones in stock. They are ridiculously expensive considering what they are but worth it to not have to make a bunch of random holes in the wall.http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/Command/Products/Product-Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U523080QE0IIHEICN90GC1_nid=02FTXDLQ2LbeF0GFSQ26BSgl

I don't find it distracting - its the kind of thing that once its up you forget its there. My husband was against the idea at first for the very reason you are mentioning but now that its up, he likes it. So I think its safe to say its not a distraction for us but I can't speak for everyone.

Amazing! It looks so good. I love how your eye isn't immediately drawn to the TV. I also like how you added a third row- I would have never thought to add frames that low on the wall. But it works great!!!

I think it could work wonderfully with color but being a bit crazy Id probably want all of the photos to have a similar color scheme or one color that is in each so they look more cohesive from far away.

The curtain rod in here is from Curtainworks - really reasonably priced for both hardware and curtains in long lengths. Here is the one in that room: http://www.curtainworks.com/ball-adjustable-decorative-curtain-rod.html

Your wall looks so complete now! I love how you extended the frames to below the tv- and your art is gorgeous in black and white. But seriously, how cool to see the little "video" of how it came together!!!! :)

Can I ask where you keep your cable box/DVR/DVD player/video game system? Not bring snarky, but trying to configure my own LR at the moment, and am constantly finding tvs without any other hardware seemingly attached. Thanks!

Hello I am curious regarding the placement of your sofa and tv. The sofa is not facing the tv. I have a similar room and everyone was giving me a hard time for not putting the sofa facing the tv, so I changed it and am sorry I did so. Thoughts on your decision welcome.Thankssw

Wow....the room looks beautiful. It looks neat and tidy. I love it because the design has been applied for the room. I like one in which the TV is placed in the middle of pictures have been hung on the wall. That gives different look to your guest and living room.

Just stopping by to say that I saw this on Pinterest and I love it! It's honestly the only "TV wall" that I've ever not hated. We have a weird layout with off-center beams due to the living room being expanded (before we moved in), so I'm not sure how this will work in my house, but I'm going to try!

I don't really remember but I want to say 4 inches. I hung up pieces of paper first to get the spacing down. Very simple to do ahead of time and that way you know you love the layout before bothering with the framing, etc.

Hi, I just saw your picture wall and love it! My husband had originally wanted to put up the TV on the wall but I was not keen on the idea, as I thought I be giving up wall space to hang pictures. I would love to do this also, however our TV seems larger, I would only be able to do one row of the 8x10 coming down along side of the TV. Would this still have the same affect or should I switch to smaller frames? Also, I luv how you did all your pictures black and white. In your opinion, would you then keep all your pictures black and white in the room (on the other walls) or would you put up colored pictures as well in the room? Would love to get your feedback. Thxs

Hello, I luv the wall!!! Just wondering if it would be ok to use colored photos also or would it be too distracting? Also, if I were to go with the black and white frames, would all the pictures in the room have to be black and white also?

Personally I like the black and white considering there are so many images and frames plus a tv to look at. Maybe if they were larger images and fewer distractions, color might work. With a whole wall of photos, I would probably not put photos up elsewhere in the room.

Thank you, for your opinion. I really need the TV to be on the wall. The way i have it set up now on a large console off to the side, it is still taking up half my wall space. and i am finding that putting up frames on one side of the wall next to the TV, it is not very appealing. Now, that I have seen your gallery wall, I have to have one myself. Unfortunately, this is the only wall I have to work with in my home. And I do have colored pictures up in dark frames already. My TV is larger...I was thinking if I were to use smaller frames (ex. 8x10 matted with 5x7 pictures) and have only one row outlining the TV, would it look good? And should I keep the pictures to black and white on this wall, even though I have colored pictures on the other walls (opposite from the TV wall)?